Wrapping for plants



Jan. 17, 1933. c. E, WILSON WRAPPING FOR PLANTS Filed June 1' 7, 1931 INVENTOR Clarence E 71 zlson,

WITNESS ATTORN EY Patented 1m. 11, 1933 v I 1,894,506

IUNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE I enamel: mswon'rn wILson, or moans-rm, commcrrcur wna'rrme Eon rnan'rs Application filed June 17, 1931. Serial 1%. 545,115.

This invention relates to a package for moisture about the roots for a predetermined shippin or storing dormant nursery stock, time but will protect the stems against loss such as eciduous trees, ornamental fruit and of moisture while preventing bacteria orinnut trees, shrubs, vines, roses, evergreens, sects from attacking the stems during stor- 5 etc. i age or transportation.

It is the usual custom in sending shrub- A still further object of the invention isthe bery from nurseries to stores to pack the provision of a package for plants in which roots in a moss, which will retain moisture the roots are covered. with water saturated awrapping' of any suitable material, material, with the material being protected such as paper or burlap order to maintain by an outer wrapper, the stems being com- 60 the roots moist and in a manner to attempt pletely encased in a moisture proof material to reserv the life f the lant, It is well which is extended downwardly into the wrapknown that such methods are, inadequate for per thus sealing the inner or open end of the the purpose and that the plants come ultiwrapper against loss of moisture. f

mately to the consumer in a state in which J in0ther object of the invention the prov 65 the greater grtion of the moisture has been vision or a process for protecting plants eliminated mthe plant. In this state the against loss of vitality during storage or plant either dies orhas received such a serious tIBJlSPOItfltlOH, which includes the steps 0f set back that considerable time pame's before coatingv the stems of the plants with a moisit is able to send out new shoots or foliager tllle p f' 'o ting While at the same time 70 It ha also b en pr o d. t P v applying the moisture proof coating to a fruits, vegetables, flowers and leaves by givr pper applied to the root so t at a p ring them a coating of o f f 'fect seal is maintained around the entire but in this case no attempt is made to prep a s 5 serve the plants life temporarily so that it This invention willbebest understood from 75 may be transferred from one pla to anoth r a consideration of the following detailed and till resume it nat r l f n ti description, in view; of the accompanying It i an bj t fth present i ti t drawing forming part of the specification; provide seal to'p -oteet ll ki d f d t nevertheless, it is to be understood that the nursery stock such as deciduous trees, ornainvention is -not confined to the disclosure, mental, fruit nd nut t s, h b i being susceptible of such changes and modiroses, evergreens, etc., irom injury by evapofications which shall define no material deration during the eriod f necessary h nparture from the salient features of the indling between the tim the sto k i du fr vention as expressed in the appended claim. the nursery up to the time it has re-estab- In the drawing? lished itself in the soil for the resumption g r 1 is a View, in elevation, of a plant of it nat al fun ti protected in accordance with the principles Another object of the. invention is the pro- 0f invellfiion, d

vision of a seal for all portions of dormant g efi s n nlarg d fragmentary vernursery t ck hi h ill i t ti I tical section of a portion of the wrapper for agai t that t yin i d hi h a t or the roots and the covering for the stems of plant must undergo immediately after transthe p planting due to the exposure to sun and ind Referring more particularly to the drawwhich causes evaporation at a y id ing, it will'be seen that the roots indicated rate and quite frequently exhausts a plants at 10 are covered by-an absorbent fibrous mavitality before natural circulation is re-estab-- t rial 11, such as Sphagnum moss, shingle lished by the formation of new feeder roots. tow, peat moss, which when saturated with A further object of the invention is the moisture will retain the moisture for a conprovision of a package for plants which will siderable period of time. A wrapper 12 not only maintain a suflicient quantity of formed of waterproof and air-tight paper is .burla' oil cloth, or any'other material suitable or the purpose. 1

The plants are now in condition for the next step of prote ting the plants against bacteria, insects an also against the loss of anoisture. A waxy material is heated and the stems of the plants, as shown at 15, are immersed into the heated wax material. The immersion is continued until the upper end of the package enters the Waxy material to provide a coating 16 around the upper inner end of the wrapper. It will also be noted that the waxy material closes the open outer end of the package, as shown at 17. It forms an integral covering with the coating or covering 18 formed on the stems 15. In the molten state, this waxy material will impregnate the inner end of the wrapper 12 and also will impregnate the fibrous material 11 at theinner end of the wrapper. If desired the entire plant, including the wrapper 12, when the wrapper is not made of waterproof material may be immersed in the molten waxy material, thereby providing not only a coating for the stems but for the entire package which will prevent the loss of moisture from any part of the package.

W en the customer receives the stock it is only necessary to remove the; wrapper 12 and moss 11 andplant said stock in the usual manner. The thin coating of wax on the stems 15 will not prevent the young foliage from breaking through the wax. Further-j more, since the plant has been previously protected during storage and transportation its tendency to growth will not be delayed.

The waxy material used for this purpose must be specially prepared as ordinary parafiin is too brittle and flakes off in the course of the necessary handling of the plants. While a number of compositions of ingredients may be employed, I prefer to use one form of the following ingredients:

Per cent 5 Unrefined paraflin 10 This wax or any other composition or'wax which may be employed for the purpose must be ductile enough to stand necessary handling and at the same time contain no injurious ingredients as would cause damage to the tissues of the plants. Ingredients may be added to the composition which may act as repellants for rodents or insects or the waxy material may contain ingredients which will cause the destruction of rodents or insects.

80 plant is aaaaaoa The wax is melted and when the stock is dipped into the wax' the temperature of the coating material may range from 150 to 230 Fn, depending upon the variety and nature of the particular plant being treated. It will be noted that at the higher temperature insect eggs and fungus bacteria will be destroyed by sterilization; at lower temperatures this may not be accomplished by sterilization but the same results will be obtained by suffocation.

It is also practical to immerse the entire plant, including the roots, in the waxy material, before wrapping which will be a considerable protection against evaporation, but the wrapping and sealing method previously described is the preferred form as the plants remain in a better condition for a much longer period than if the plants are merely waxed and shipped or stored without the wrapping.

The plant having live roots, the housing or wrapping around the root, the waxy mate rial which is adherent to the dormant top together with the waxy sealing material at that point in the package where the housing or wrapping is tied or constricted to form a complete seal, comprises a commercial package. The housing or wrapping is constricted substantially at that point in the plant which is known. as a crown andwhich is defined as that part of the plant where the roots join the top.

Nursery stock may be kept under the most unfavorable conditions for a period of at least two weeks in perfect condition. Under more favorable conditions the plants may be retained for a period amounting to ap-- proximately seventy days, while at lower temperatures, such as 32 to 40F., the plants may be kept indefinitely. During the period of distribution by modern business methods,

hardware and seed stores, and other similar places, the plants are subjected to evaporation usually from periods of two to six weeks. In such stores the plants are exposed to a dry atmospheric condition and high temperatures. Thus, it will be seen that without the timent noted above the vitality of the quickly reduced to such an extent that it will be dificult, if not impossible, for the plant to resume its natural functions when planted.

I claim: v

A commercial package comprising a housing and at least a plant having live roots and a dormant top, the housing being substantial- 1; moisture-proof, moisture absorbing material embracing the roots, the roots and ma- .terial being embraced by the housing, the

I dormant topbeing exposed above the hous- I herent to the dormant top and coating said top, that portion of the package intervening between the housing and the top being provided with a waxy sealing means preventing escape of moisture from the interior of the housing where constricted.

CLARENCE ELLS WORTB WILSON. 

